Tentering machine



Ap 1931- s. L. CLUETT TENTERING MACHINE Filed May 24, 1930 Patented Apr. 14, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application filed May 24,

This invention relates to tentering or stretching machines of the type employing tenter chains composed of articulated links provided with aligned upstanding pins adapted successively to impale the opposite margins of a textile fabric web during its passage through the machine; and pertains more particularly to improvements in the pin plates which are usually fastened to the articulated links and in which are aifixed the upstanding tenter pins.

The general arrangement and mode of operation of tenter plates and pins in a fabric treating machine of this type is well understood; and I am aware that the tenter pins have been disposed in alignment, either in a single row on each side of the machine, in double rows, or in multiple rows of varying number, according to the particular use of the machine and the type of fabric to be treated. When multiple rows of pins have been employed, the tenter pins of adjacent parallel rows are offset or staggered with relation to each other, and as far as I am informed, the axes of the pins in the respective rows have been disposed in parallel planes, generally normal to the face of the plate in which the pins are afixed, and the transverse ends of the pin plates have been squared or so cat at right angles to their outer longitudinal e ges.

Hence, in prior arrangement, the distance between the point of a pin in one row and the point of an adjacent pin in an adjacent row is substantially the same as the distance between the bases of said pins. Also, in such prior arrangements, owing to the space which is necessarily provided between adjacent links and adjacent pin plates of the chain for purposes of articulation, an end pin of one or more of the rows on each plate, usually the second or back row, has necessarily been omitted owing to a lack of area for mounting said pin. These characteristics of prior machines inevitably produce distortions in the fabric structure, as hereinafter explained, which are detrimental to the appearance of the finished cloth, especially in fabrics such as shirtings in which the origi- 50 nal finish and appearance is desirably to be 1980. Serial No. 455,292.

maintained and in which defined lines or a figured desi may be woven in the material.

It is accordingly the purpose of this invention to obviate such objectionable results by providin an improved tenter plate having its paral el rows of pins disposed in upwardly converging planes, and having its transverse ends shaped to provide adequate area for an uninterrupted spacing of pins in each of its rows and also to permit relative angular movement between the plates.

Recommended embodiments of the invention are shown for the purpose of illustration in the accompanying drawings which also include figures showing a common type of 5 previous construction and the effect of such arrangement upon the fabric. It will be understood, however, that the application of my invention is not restricted to the precise structural details herein illustrated and described, and that the employment of any similar devices arranged and operating upon the principles herein set forth is contemplated within the scope of this invention as defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary plan view of a tentering chain having articulated links and provided with tenter pins and plates according to this invention;

Fig. 2 is a section on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are end views, to larger scale, of the pin plate shown in Figs. 1 and 2, illustrating optional arrangements of the tenter pins, all within the purview of the invention;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of a pin plate according to Figs. 1, 2 and 5 showin in diagrammatic manner a piece of fabric 1mpaled by the tenter pin as the fabric passes 0 through the tentering machine;

Fig. 7 is an end view of a pin plate of known type, having its tenter pins so arranged that the plane of one row is parallel to the plane of the adjacent row; and

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 6, illustrating the efiect produced in the material by the use of the pin plate of Fig. 7

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the tenter chain comprises a series of articulated links 11 pivoted together by bolts 12 or in any other usual manner, and preferably having plates 13 secured thereon as by screws 14, the plates being bored and provided with tenter pins 15 arranged at evenly spaced intervals in parallel rows. For the purposes of this invention two or more rows of pins may be em- .tenter pins, and that the fabric thus impaled is stretched transversely owing to the customary diverging paths of the opposlte chains.

The opposed ends of adjacent pin plates are usually spaced from one-sixteenth to oneeighth inches apart to prevent binding between the links of the flexible chain, and heretofore the ends of the plates have been squared to provide a straight intermediate slot or opening extending at right angles to the front or inner edges 16 of the plates. Hence, when the pins of each row are spaced relatively close together, as is usually the case, it is evident that the end pin of one of the ofiset rows on each plate must be omitted from the series. The even tension on the fabric is accordingly interrupted at the uncture of the plates, and the uniform appear ance of the finished material is consequently impaired.

In order to remedy the aforesaid objection, I have provided a series of pin plates having complemental end projections 27 and 28 which normally overlap each other and which provide space for the end pins of the respective rows. Thus, in Figs. 1 and 2, the plates have end portions 17 preferably disposed at an oblique angle to the front edge 16 for a distance sufiicient to allow a pin to be located in the rear row back of and between the front row pins at the adjoining ends of adjacent pin plates. The faces of such opposed end portions may be parallel to each other and to a plane passing through the axes of the offset end pins or otherwise suitably shaped, so that the opening 18 be-' tween the plates divides the space between the diagonally opposed end pins of adjacent plates, as shown in Fig. 1. A plate thus constructed accordingly provides uninterrupted double or multiple rows of evenly spaced pins through the length of the tenter chain and ensures uniform tension upon the fabric at the juncture of the plates. It is apparent, however, that additional rows of pins may be accommodated by continuing the opening 18 in a zig-zag direction between the ins at the ends of the respective rows on adacent plates; and it is also obvious that the precise contour of the projections 27 and 28 is not essential to this invention, provided the complementary projections extend be yond each other longitudinally of the chain.

The tenter pins of the plates 13 ofFigs. 1 and 2 may, in accordance. with the foregoing aspect of this invention, be disposed in parallel longitudinal planes normal to the face of the plate, as in prior arrangements, the pins of each row being equally spaced at the plate joints as well as along each plate. In another aspect of the invention, however, and as best shown in Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive, the axes of the pins in one of the double rows lie in a plane converging upwardly toward a plane passin through the axes of the pins in the secon row, so that the space between the pins of the respective rows is' greater at the bases than at the points thereof.

The common arrangement heretofore employed is illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 in which the pins of both rows are disposed in parallel planes generally at right angles to the face of the plate, so that the distance between pins 20 in the first row and the adj acent pins 20 of the back row is substantially the same at the points and at the bases of said pins. The mode of applying the fabric web to the tenter pins is well understood; as the fabric strip is fed into the tentering machine, the margins of the fabric are engaged by the corresponding tenter pins of the opposite chains and the material is thereafter impaled by and pushed downwardly upon successive pins of the moving chain. In accordance with usual practices, and as indicated at 21 (Fig. 7), the cloth is not pushed down flatwise upon the pins but, owing to the absence of transverse tension upon the material, the fabric is festooned or slack between the points of the pins. When the fabric is then pressed downwardly toward the face of the pin plate, the material between the pins remains loose or wrinkled, as shown at 22 (Fig. 7).

Hence, when, as heretofore, the axes of the pins of the front and back rows are disposed in parallel planes, the application of transverse tension upon the fabric by the tentermg mechanism causes the front or inner row of pins to assume substantially allof the initial tension, and the major portion-of the strain induced b further transverse tension. As a result of thls uneven pull upon the pins of the front and back rows, arcuate yarndistortions are dicated at 23 ig. 8) and the uniform texture and pleasing appearance of the finished fabric surface is seriously impaired.-

produced in the fabric, as inl In order to remedy'such ob ectionable conspectively are disposed in upwardly converging planes, so that the pins of the respective rows are closer together at the top than at the bottom thereof. By reason of this downward divergence of the pins in the respective rows, any slackness of the material between the points of the pins upon application of the fabric in the usual manner is stretched out as the fabric is pressed downwardly on the pins until the fabric is substantially fiat and taut at the pin bases. The pins of both rows accordingly exert an even tension upon the impaled material during stretching.

It is apparent that the angularity of the pins with respect to the face of the pin plate maybe varied to suit particular purposes, while at the same time preserving the desired relative angularity between the pins of the front and rear rows respectively. For example, in Fig. 3 the front or inner row of pins 15 is normal to the pin plate 13 and the rear or outer row 15 is inclined inwardly; in Fig. 4 both rows are inclined outwardly, the inclination of the inner row being greater than that of the outer row; and in Figs. 2

and 5 the outer row is normal to the plate and the inner row is inclined outwardly. It is also obvious that both rows may incline inwardly, the outer row to a greater degree than the inner row, but such arrangement is usually not desirable and is not shown in the drawings. It will be observed that the variation in inclination between the inner and outer rows is approximately four degrees in Figs. 3 to 5, but it will be understood that the difierential may be greater or less according to the length of the pins and the distance between rows, or according to the results desired, as determined by experiment.

The arrangement of pins as shown in Fig. 3 may be desirably employed in case a downward pressure of air is imparted to the fabric being centered, or when it is required that the fabric be easily removed from the pins; that of Fig. 4 is preferred when the air pressure is upwardl against the fabric or to offset the effect 0 tilting inwardly of the pin plates due to tension of the cloth or wear of the moving parts of the tenter links or their supports; while the form illustrated in Fig. 5 is generally suitable for all normal conditions. The last mentioned arrangement is also represented in Figs. 1 and 2.

The essential feature of this aspect of my invention is the provision of tenter pins arranged in parallel rows, the points of the fabric 26 by the pins of both rows, arcuate yarn distortion being effectively eliminated.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have provided a simple and practical arrangement of the tenter plates and impaling pins of a stretching machine, which preserves the appearance of the original weave pattern of a textile web without objectionable distortion of the threads and which otherwise operates satisfactorily in the usual manner to cause the desirable transverse stretching of the web. It is obvious that the two principal features of my invention may be employed independently, but it is also apparent that the conjoint action in the same apparatus of both the improved form of pin plate and the unique relative arrangement of the pins in the respective rows is highly desirable to attain the common result to which each contributes in its operation upon the fabric.

I claim:

1. A. pin plate of the class described having inner and outer rows of aligned tenter pins, the space between the pins of the respective rows being greater at the bases than at the points thereof.

2. A pin plate of the class described having tenter pins arranged in parallel rows longitudinally thereof, the axes of the pins in the respective rows being disposed in upwardly converging planes.

3. A pin plate of the class described having parallel rows of aligned tenter pins arranged in staggered relation, the pins of one row being disposed in a plane normal to the face of the plate and the pins in the other row being disposed in a plane inclining upwardly toward the former row.

4:. A pin plate of the class described having parallel rows of aligned tenter pins arranged in staggered relation, the space between the pins of the respective rows being greater at the bases than at the points thereof, and the plate having a projection at one end substantially in line with one row of pins and a projection at its opposite end substantially in line with the ot er row, so that both rows may have the same number of equally spaced pins with the end pin of each row approximately the same distance from the end. of the plate.

Signed b me at Troy, N. Y.,' U. s. A.,.this 20th day 0 May, 1930.

SANFORD L. CLUETT.

pins in the respective rows being closer together than the bases of said pins. The desirable effect of such arrangement is indicated in Figs. 5 and 6. In Fig. 5, the slackness 24 existin in the fabric between the points of the pins is stretched out taut at 25 when the fabric ispressed downwardl toward the bases of the pins; and Fig. 6 illustrates the uniform tension exerted upon the 

